The Bangladesh students group leading protests that have turned deadly has announced a 48-hour suspension of demonstrations. The group’s leader, Nahid Islam, stated from his hospital bed that their goal was not to achieve reform “at the expense of so much blood.”
Originally, the protests targeted politicized admission quotas for prized government positions but have since escalated into some of the most severe unrest during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s administration.
In response, a curfew has been enforced, and soldiers are patrolling cities nationwide. Additionally, the country has experienced a nationwide internet blackout since Thursday, severely hindering information flow.
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“We are pausing the shutdown protests for 48 hours,” Islam, who is recovering from injuries allegedly caused by undercover police, said. He demanded that the government lift the curfew, restore internet access, and cease targeting student protesters during this period.
“We began this movement to reform the quota system,” Islam explained. “But we did not intend for this reform to come at such a high cost in terms of lives lost, violence, and damage.”
Reports from police and hospitals indicate that at least 163 people have died in the clashes, including several police officers. On Monday, sporadic violence continued, with four individuals suffering bullet wounds and being treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Government officials have consistently blamed the protesters and opposition for the unrest. Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesman Faruk Hossain reported that “at least 532” people have been arrested in the capital since the protests began, including some leaders from the opposition Bangladesh National Party.
Ali Riaz, a politics professor and Bangladesh expert at Illinois State University, described the violence as “the worst massacre by any regime since independence.” He commented, “The atrocities of the past days reveal that the regime relies solely on brute force and shows no regard for human life. These indiscriminate killings cannot be remedied by a court ruling or government announcement.”
